Tourism is one of the biggest industries in the entire world with millions of tourists traveling to various parts of the globe every month whether for personal reasons or business reasons, with the numbers rising almost every day.

Of course the biggest beneficiaries of the tourism industry are the hotels which accommodate these millions of tourists and hence more and more hotels come up every day – from luxury, super luxury to budget hotels and guest houses. But the latest buzz word seems to be that of a Boutique Hotel. A lot of the tourists now prefer to stay in something called as a Boutique Hotel.

So what is a Boutique hotel and why is it becoming so popular with the tourists no matter which part of the globe you are visiting?

The concept of a Boutique hotel originated from North America to suggest an intimate and luxurious hotel environment. The feature that differentiates Boutique hotels from other mainstream hotels is the personalized service – personalized accommodation and facilities provided to each guest. All Boutique hotels are generally created over a theme which runs through all the rooms and service centers of the hotel. Also generally boutique hotels are considered much more stylish than their competitors as most of them usually hire the services of a specialist interior designer to develop and execute a unique theme for the hotel.

All rooms, restaurants, lounges etc in the hotel are carefully planned and constructed according to the vision of the designer.

A typical room in a boutique hotel apart from having a good balance between style and luxury will have at least a queen size bed, telephone connection, wi-fi internet connectivity which is generally free to use for the guests of the hotel, cable television, a mini bar and round the clock room service. Most boutique hotels will also have an excellent restaurant serving variety of cuisines and also having a lounge or a bar in its premises where the guests can take a break and relax and also mingle with other guests. Generally the lounge or bar is open to the general public as well.

A boutique hotel is generally smaller than a mainstream luxury hotel with the bigger boutique hotels having a maximum of approximately one hundred rooms while the smaller ones could have as less as just five rooms.

Generally most of the visitors to a boutique hotel are business travelers which ensure repeat business for the hotel. But the recent trends have shown a large number of general tourists preferring to stay at these boutique hotels because of the great combination of luxury, privacy as well as personalized service which these hotels offer to their guests which sets them apart from other hotels whether luxury or a budget hotel.

The staff at these hotels is very friendly and courteous and has been trained to cater to all requests by their guests. Although the number of people working could be less compared to a large luxury group of hotels but even then most guests report a higher sense of personal service which is one of the main reason why a boutique hotel has started to become so popular with all kinds of guests whether they are there for a vacation or for business purposes.

Kobrun Vidisdottir
http://www.articlesbase.com/hotels-articles/why-are-boutique-hotels-becoming-the-preferred-choice-for-all-travelers-129588.html

Anyone who has any interest in golf is more than aware that Portugal has quite literally hundreds of top class courses that attract players from all around the world.

Not only are these new golf resorts that are being built around the country popular with golfers, but they also offer a resort style feel which makes them welcoming for non golfing family and friends.

With this in mind, it seems that investing in a golf property in Portugal is a savvy move for just about any type of investor. Spanish golf property, particularly along the Costa del Sol, has flourished in popularity recently and, as such, prices have risen over the last five years by an impressive 70 percent on average.

Currently there are more than fifty golf courses on the Spanish Costa Del Sol and business is still booming.

Portugal is not as well developed in terms of the number and size of golf resorts, therefore, offering an opportunity for investors to make the most of the explosive growth that looks set to hit the region. In Spain, for example, many purchasers bought their property off plan and then simply ‘flipped’ it when it was built, by selling it on immediately for a profit.

Others have made their profits by buying in the early stages of a development and renting the property to keen golfers to establish a healthy annual rental yield. All the while, the capital value of the property is increasing.

Portugal has a wonderfully sunny climate with, on average, more than 300 sunny days a year making this region an excellent place to invest due to the long potential rental season. In particular, the golf courses are gathering considerable acclaim and more are being built annually.

The courses that are of particular note, currently, include Salgados, Parque da Floresta, Palmares and Pine Cliffs. Whilst purchasing apartments and houses that are actually part of the complex may be fairly expensive, there are also other nearby properties that allow access to the golf courses and can, therefore, be classified as golf property for the purpose of rental.

Bear in mind, however, that some complexes only allow residents on to their courses and others may have restrictions on non-residents, such as times or additional costs. Make sure that you take all of these restrictions and costs into account when calculating the potential value of purchasing a property inside a golf complex.

When looking at potential golf property, don’t rule out the capital Lisbon that has some wonderful courses within a stone’s throw and the island of Madeira that has numerous small but luxurious courses.

Green fees for non-residents generally start at the 50 Euro mark and the majority of courses do not charge more than 100 Euro.

Handicap certificates are invariably required and anyone planning on renting out a golf property should make sure that potential holiday makers are aware of the rules and regulations of their selected course.

Due to the potential complexity of letting out a golf property, there are now numerous agents who specialise exclusively in providing management services for those interested in letting their property to golf enthusiasts.

By using an exclusive agency, you can offer potential clients the full range of services, from arranging tee times to including golf buggies and trips to other courses.

Golf holidays are specialist holidays, often with specialist prices. By owning a golf property it is possible for the investor to tap into this profit and return a healthy rental yield, whilst the value of their property continues to rise. Perfect!

Tem Pearson
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/investing-in-the-golf-resorts-of-portugal-91339.html

Christopher Columbus discovered this place in 1492. In 1496 his brother Bartolomeo founded a city here, which he called San Felipe de Puerto Plata. After a period of rapid development the city’s star has gone down as there were another lands of the New World discovered. The city was all stuck in smuggling while its citizens were collaborating with English and French pirates. To put an end to this predatory business, the king of Spain gave orders to destroy Puerto Plata. In 1742 the city was restored by colonists and immigrants who came from the Canary Islands, and in a short time, it became a prosperous place again. Those were the times when the most beautiful of local buildings were created. Nowadays the city is famous for its romantic old-style atmosphere, stressed with Victorian style buildings. The latter are adorned with elegant wood and metal engravings as well as “spice-cake” motives which are so characteristic for the most part of the manors and public buildings.

Puerto Plata is sometimes called “The bride of the Atlantics” – wonderful wooden colonial style houses and tropical flowers add an unusual medieval Spanish colouring to the city and local people are really amicable and hospitable.

Every person coming to Puerto Plata is advised to visit main local attractions: Zona Colonial with San Felipe Fortress located in it, Malecon – a long street along the beach and, of course, the magnificent Isabel de Torres mountain with unique colourful plants that are only typical for this height. The peak of the mountain can be reached by a famous rope-way.

Thanks to its magnificent white-sand beaches, in the end of 1990-s Puerto Plata has become one of the country’s main tourist destinations. It is also an excellent place for your shopping and entertainment.

Playa Dorada is a luxurious resort complex 4 kilometres from the city, which consists of 13 hotels. Here internationally acknowledged hotels will offer you the whole range of tourist services. Those who are fond of golf will find splendid golf courts, and if you prefer horse riding, you can enjoy an unforgettable riding stroll along the Atlantic coast. There are also lots of restaurants, cosy bars and discos located on the territory of the complex.

The other name for the northern coast – Costámbar – means “amber coast”. It appeared thanks to a great amount of black amber found here. Damp tropical climate subdued by winds blowing from the Atlantic ocean, admirable beaches, seawater scintillating with all shades of turquoise, numerous lagoons, bays and rich flora – all these are parts of the extraordinary beauty of the northern coast.

Puerto Plata is not only the name of the city, but is also a Dominican province and real gates into many coastal resorts and towns. To strike up better acquaintance with traditional atmosphere you should undertake an excursion to its other cities – Santo Domingo (the capital of the Dominican Republic) or Santiago de los Caballeros.

Tatyana Kogut.
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/run-away-from-winter-to-puerto-plata-125379.html

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As capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie has long been one of the Caribbean’s most vibrant cities. Charlotte Amalie boasts all the gourmet dining, world-class resorts, lively entertainment and other luxurious amenities that much larger cities have to offer. However, Charlotte Amalie maintains a relaxed, uniquely Caribbean atmosphere amongst the hustle and bustle. Despite the fact that there is so much to explore in Charlotte Amalie, the capital city can easily be explored on foot. Providing urban excitement with an exotic backdrop, Charlotte Amalie combines everything tourists love about the Caribbean. Whether you’re looking for shopping, world-class dining or live entertainment when traveling in the Caribbean, Charlotte Amalie is the heart of the action.

Despite Charlotte Amalie’s many activities, the city remains well known as the shopping hub of the Caribbean. In fact, over one million visitors come to the city each year to explore the many stores and markets. Considering that American tourists are allowed to shop duty-free in St. Thomas with greater allowances than anywhere else in the Caribbean, the interest comes as no surprise. Discounts generally range from 40-60% off American mainland prices on everything from clothing, jewelry and perfume to electronics, crystal and fine china.

The downtown and waterfront areas are the best places to begin a shopping tour of Charlotte Amalie. The historic colonial warehouses lining Main, Back and Waterfront Streets contain hundreds of unique shops with all the discounted luxury goods St. Thomas is known for. The side streets surrounding the downtown area – such as Royal Dane Mall, Palm Passage and Riise Alley – are home to smaller boutiques offering distinctive local products and Caribbean specialties. Throughout this entire area, you will also find plenty of restaurants and bars catering to every palate.

If you couldn’t find what you were looking for in downtown Charlotte Amalie, the Havensight District is another great area to do some shopping. Located close to the main cruise ship pier, these shops are especially popular with visitors on shore excursions. In the Havensight District, you will find luxury items similar to those downtown at the same great prices. However, Havensight features a number of charming cafes – perfect for a peaceful Caribbean lunch – that you won’t find anywhere else.

If you are in search of some distinctive local products, try Vendor’s Plaza and the Native Arts and Crafts Cooperative. Located near Emancipation Park in central Charlotte Amalie, these two markets offer everything from handmade souvenirs and locally-grown produce to Caribbean artwork not available in any other store.

Another thing that sets Charlotte Amalie apart is the presence of impeccably preserved colonial architecture. No other city in the Caribbean has such a wealth of history or such and interesting story to tell. For instance, Fort Christian – the oldest remaining structure in the Virgin Islands sits in Charlotte Amalie. The fort has gone through many phases since its construction in 1666. Originally designed to protect the Danish settlement from other Europeans, the bright red fortress went on to be used as a jail, government hall and police station. Since 1982, Fort Christian has served as the city’s finest history museum, while the roof continues to offer the best panoramic views of the city and its harbor.

A walk around Charlotte Amalie will also reveal such buildings as the Grand Hotel – a beautiful 19th century resort that now houses shops in the downtown area – and the Legislature Building – a 19th century structure housing the government of the Virgin Islands, painted a vibrant Caribbean green.

Most importantly, in addition to the stores, resorts, restaurants and historic sites, Charlotte Amalie offers the ideal beaches that have made the Caribbean famous. Charlotte Amalie is probably the perfect destination for those who love the city, but want a taste of the Caribbean’s renowned beauty.

Justin Burch
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/charlotte-amalie-big-city-amenities-in-the-heart-of-the-caribbean-124587.html

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To enjoy the holiday with the same feeling as if in home, rental apartments are the best alternative that is available in almost every tourist destination. Prague is also a famous tourist destination offering wide variety of rental apartments that are sure to win the heart of every tourist. Rental apartments are considered as best alternative because all of us want to spend our holidays with our relatives, where we can have complete privacy. Earlier hotel was the only option left with the tourist for which, they have to pay huge amount of money and moreover lot of rules and regulations was attached to it that one has to follow during his stay in hotel.

With lots of people coming into this business, rental apartments business are on rise and more and more people are taking interest in renting their flats in peak tourist time. Prague is a famous tourist destination, which is always crowded with the tourist throughout the year. So for people of Prague renting their flats is the best way to earn good amount of money in short period of time. Moreover the investment made on these apartments is one time and only small amount of money is required for its renovation and maintenance. This proves to be a good business opportunity where people are able to earn handsome amount of money. Prague being a hot tourist destination these rental apartments are always occupied and booked, offering its owner with a good source of income.

Prague rental apartments provide best holiday accommodations to tourists as these apartments are equipped with all the latest facilities like hotel rooms. Moreover the rent of these apartments is also quite cheaper thus offering tourist luxurious stay at quite an affordable price. Most of the Prague rental apartments are ideally located and all the exotic locations and historic monuments are within the walking distance. Apart from these one can also enjoy the shopping as these apartments are located near the shopping zone area. Prague rental apartments are also surrounded by good restaurants, bars and theatres that provide easy enjoyment to the tourists. Metro and tram station are also quite near to these apartments so that tourists can easily commute from one place to another.

Prague is considered as most economical as far as hospitality and comfort is concerned. This is further assured with the increasing number of tourists that is growing each and every year. Prague offers wide rage of rental apartments, where each apartment is facilitated with well equipped kitchen with all amenities like microwave, toaster, oven, cooker, dishwasher, coffee maker etc. Different types of apartments available in Prague include one bed room apartments, multi bed room lodgings, fully featured guest houses, studio apartments, luxury apartments and many more.

Article Manager
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/prague-rental-apartments-offering-fun-excitement-and-convenience-684298.html

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Like millions of other world travelers, anyone planning to travel to Egypt will have a great deal to do before they even set out on their journey. First they must be certain to have the proper documentation and clearance to ensure easy entry across its borders or through its airports. Most visitors can simply submit visa applications when arriving, but there are some groups that are required to do more, and it is a good choice to investigate this issue long before departure.

Travel to Egypt can take many forms; it can be a journey through the ancient Pharaonic past or a relaxing cruise up or down the Nile. A trip to Egypt can have the beautiful Gulf of Suez or Aqaba as its destination, where white sand beaches and pristine waters await. Travel to Egypt can also be directed towards the religious history of the Sinai Peninsula where some of the world’s oldest original monasteries still stand, and still serve as houses of worship. There are even those who travel to Egypt to witness for themselves the baking sands of the western deserts and the beauty of the many large oases they contain.

Planning a single destination or itinerary for travel to Egypt is unnecessary as the ease of transportation around the country allows a variety of sightseeing and destinations to be included in anyone’s arrangements. For example, many full-time residents in Cairo make the coastal town of Hurghada their chosen location for rest and relaxation. Because of this there are frequent flights in and out of the area, and a visitor to the city could easily spend a weekend along the beautiful “Red Sea Riviera” as part of their trip.

There are dozens of travel and tour companies and thousands of accommodations providers making travel to Egypt affordable and easy for almost any budget. It is simply a matter of deciding which locations and areas to visit, and what to during a stay. The most common reasons that tourists travel to Egypt are the historical sites, including the Pyramids of Giza, the Luxor temple complex, the cities of Cairo and Alexandria and even far-reaching areas such as Abu Simbel or Aswan. Additionally, many take advantage of the Sinai Peninsula and eastern shore’s wonderful water activities and luxurious resorts. In fact, this entire region is becoming such a “hot spot” that development is taking place at an advanced rate, making more hotels and resorts available each year. There are many other reasons people travel to Egypt, and it only continues to grow in popularity as the years pass!

Amar Mahallati
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/planning-to-travel-to-egypt-685074.html

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